That man should have been mine. Such a perfect man and yet Riley had taken him.
The thought clawed at Felicia's chest, jealousy burning hot and bitter.
Grinding her teeth, she shot Riley a glare before turning back to the luxury car, her expression shifting in an instant. Her heart pounded wildly, but she forced herself into composure, every movement polished and refined, every detail of her posture carefully controlled.
"Hello, Mr Yates. I'm Felicia. Riley's sister," she said sweetly, her eyes fixed on the tinted glass as if she could see through it. "We both study at Imperial University. I'm in Class One. Riley was originally there too, but she was transferred to Class Seven after being suspected of cheating."
It was a flawless introduction. Graceful on the surface, but edged with a quiet, deliberate jab.
Riley felt her stomach twist.
Inside the car, the man gave a single response.
"Okay."
That was all.
No more.
And yet, the colder he was, the more intrigued Felicia became. Instead of discouraging her, that brief, indifferent reply only fueled her enthusiasm. She leaned slightly closer, staring at the glass as though she could draw his attention through sheer persistence.
Riley's irritation spiked.
She shot a glare at the car. "What do you mean, 'okay'? Are you sick or something?"
Didn't he see Felicia practically throwing herself at him? And he still had the nerve to act aloof and composed?
Ridiculous.
Before Adrian could respond, Felicia stepped forward with a slight frown, as if it were her place to intervene.
"Riley, how can you talk to Mr Yates like that? Say you're sorry."
Then she turned back toward the car, her tone softening into concern.
"Mr Yates, please don't mind her. She's always had a bad temper at home. We're all used to it…"
She kept talking, her voice gentle, her words flowing smoothly.
But this time, not a single response came from inside the car. Only silence.
Riley nearly laughed.
Tilting her head, she looked at Felicia with a faint smirk, her expression openly smug, like a child who had just been given exactly what she wanted.
Inside the car, Adrian's lips twitched slightly.
Childish.
Felicia's expression darkened, frustration tightening her features. She wanted to step closer, to continue pressing forward, but Riley stood firmly in front of the car door, blocking her completely.
Riley glanced back at the Maybach, her smile bright and deliberate.
"Hubby, you're going to be late for work. You should go now."
This time, Adrian finally responded.
"Okay. I'll pick you up this afternoon."
"Okay. Bye, hubby."
Each word landed like a quiet slap. By the time the car disappeared around the corner, Felicia's expression had turned stormy.
She snapped.
"What right do you have to call him that? Riley, have you no shame? Do you really think Mr Yates would ever fall for someone like you?"
Riley shrugged, completely unfazed.
"Well, I can't help it. I'm his legal wife." She tilted her head, smiling lightly. "Are you mad? He didn't even bother talking to you."
Before Felicia could respond, Riley stuck out her tongue playfully and ran off, her bunny cradled in her arms, leaving Felicia standing there, fuming.
Just you wait, Riley.
***
When Riley reached the doorway, she paused, blinking at the unusual silence inside.
The moment she stepped in—
POP! POP!
Two students jumped out from behind the door, confetti bursting into the air as the lecture hall erupted into applause.
Howard stood proudly at the front, his face full of admiration.
"Welcome! Our freshman representative, Riley!"
"Welcome, welcome!" Rylie clapped excitedly beside him, her eyes shining.
She had watched the entire livestream the night before. It had been a rollercoaster with twists, turns, and constant tension. But that final fifteen-second comeback was unbelievable.
Riley stared at the overexcited group, momentarily speechless.
Isn't this celebration a little premature?
Have they all forgotten I'm still drowning in online scandals?
She walked to her seat, sat down, and pulled out her phone.
The same posts remained pinned at the top of the trending list. The dark rumors, accusations, and endless speculation.
Lowering her gaze, Riley fell into thought.
Rylie slid closer, her voice dropping conspiratorially. "Riley, don't worry. Henry said he'll handle those posts. You just focus on representing our class as the freshman rep."
From the back row, Howard leaned forward eagerly. "Exactly. You're our pride now. Henry will get those posts taken down."
Henry nodded, his expression serious. "I'll contact someone I know and have it removed."
A faint smile touched Riley's lips.
A post I don't want removed. Who could possibly take it down?
Still, I like their enthusiasm. Let them try.
Henry made several attempts, his brows tightening when nothing worked. Finally, he opened another link.
The screen flickered and a black skull appeared. Above it, a striking emblem glowed "Apex Network".
"Holy—Henry! Is that APX? The top hacker alliance in Lumut? You actually know someone from APX?"
The classroom erupted in excitement.
Founded thirty years ago, the alliance had once dominated the hacking world, undefeated for years. They had represented their continent in international competitions, securing victory after victory.
Their reputation rivaled that of top celebrity groups.
Anyone who used the internet knew APX.
Of course, two years ago, everything had changed. They had lost a major competition to an unknown recluse, and since then, the once-dominant alliance had gone quiet.
But even now, seeing their name was enough to send a thrill through the room.
The boys were already buzzing. Even Rylie looked starstruck.
Clutching Riley's arm, she squealed, "Riley, it's APX! My favorite hacker alliance! I can't believe I'm actually seeing their portal!"
Riley, however, remained completely indifferent.
She calmly pulled out her advanced math textbook and flipped it open.
Rylie paused, then waved it off. "Oh right, I forgot—you're not exactly sharp. You probably don't even know what hackers are. Otherwise, how could you be this calm?"
She shook her head, still brimming with excitement. "Never mind, I'll explain later. I'm too excited right now!"
She turned back to the group, immediately joining the discussion.
Riley's lips twitched faintly, but she said nothing.
Meanwhile, Henry basked in the attention, barely able to hide the pride spreading across his face.
"Relax. I just know someone. It's not that big of a deal," he said casually, though his tone betrayed him. "But I've already passed the first-level screening for APX. Once I clear all three levels, I'll officially join."
"Damn, Henry, that's insane!"
"Seriously! When you go to their gatherings, can you get us autographs? Sign for us now!"
"Yeah! Henry, sign one for me too!"
Henry raised a hand, his grin widening.
"No time for that. Let me contact them first and deal with Riley's post."
Give him a little praise and he was already floating. Rylie thought.